PARIS
At least 12 people have been killed and three are fighting for their lives, Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins has said, after an armed gang attacked the Paris headquarters of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Three masked armed men armed with Kalashnikov automatic rifles and a rocket-launcher attacked people inside the building on Wednesday, also injuring about 10, five critically, before they fled the building of the magazine, which sparked controversy in 2006 and 2012 for publishing comic cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
French police were pursuing the gang through the streets of the French capital on Wednesday afternoon.
One wounded police officer was filmed being shot through the head by an attacker in footage posted on YouTube.
Journalists killed
Among the dead were satirical journalists and cartoonists regarded as legendary across France - editor Stephanie "Charb" Charbonnier, Bernard "Tignou" Verlhac, Jean Cabu and George Wolinski.
Renowned economist and writer Bernard Maris was also killed.
The journalists were attacked as they attended an editorial meeting at the publication.
Families of the victims were being cared for in a building close to the Charlie Hebdo offices.
Eyewitness Benoit Bringer told French TV channel Itele: "Two black-hooded men entered the building with Kalashnikovs. A few minutes later we heard lots of shots."
'Attack on liberty'
President Francois Hollande confirmed the deaths, which included at least two policemen, on Wednesday and called the shootings "an attack on liberty".
"France is in shock, in shock over this terrorist attack," said Hollande, who arrived to the scene with a group of ministers including Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.
"This is an act of exceptional barbarism ... against journalists ... who have always endeavoured to show that, in France, you can operate to defend your ideas," he said.
He said the raid was "undoubtedly a terrorist attack" and that "several terrorist attacks were thwarted in recent weeks" adding that France was on a state of "high alert".
'Sickening murders'
Eyewitnesses said the gang attacked police officers after fleeing the scene in a black car, leaving six badly injured.
Police said the attackers had spoken fluent French.
Rocco Contento, a spokesman for the Unité police union, said the attackers had leapt into the getaway car driven by a fourth man and driven to north-east Paris, where they abandoned the vehicle and hijacked a second after pulling out its driver.
The AFP news agency reported the attackers shouted during the attack: "We have avenged the prophet."
Hundreds of people later gathered in the Place de la Republique in Paris as part of a rally to defend the freedom of speech.
Shortly before the attack, the magazine had tweeted a cartoon wishing a Happy New Year to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, to which he is pictured replying: "... and especially good health".
'Barbaric act'
Nicolas Sarkozy, leader of the UMP opposition party, said the attack was: "... a savage act against the freedom of expression ... those standing behind this barbaric act should be caught and presented to justice".
"We need to continue to live our lives normally. France is hit on its heart ... we need unity to counter terrorism," he added.
The French Prime Ministry office said public places such as malls and public transportation would be protected by extra police forces.
The French Council of the Muslim Faith condemned the attack, describing it as "barbaric act against democracy".
The Union of Islamic Organizations of France said: "We condemn this criminal attack and these horrible murders."
Controversial editions
Stephan Oberreit, Director of Amnesty International France, said: "This is a dark day for freedom of expression and a vibrant press culture. But above all, it is an appalling human tragedy."
In Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "The murders in Paris are sickening.
"We stand with the French people in the fight against terror and defending the freedom of the press."
Charlie Hebdo triggered controversy in February, 2006 , when it ran a front page with the headline; "Mohammad overwhelmed by fundamentalists" picturing a tearful Prophet Mohammad saying: "It's hard being loved by jerks."
The anti-religious and left-wing magazine also reprinted in the edition 12 cartoons first published by Danish magazine Jyllands-Posten in 2005, which had triggered outrage among Muslims around the world, along with some extra ones produced by its own staff.
Its offices also suffered an arson attack in 2011 and its website was hacked a day after it renamed a special edition "Charia Hebdo" and listed Prophet Mohammed its editor-in-chief.
Founded in 1969 and published every Wednesday, the magazine also ran additional special editions.
